Twitching Above Ears: Causes & Solutions by Neurologist

Find out from a neurologist what causes twitching above the ears and what to do about this.

Are you experiencing twitching above your ears?

“Some of the most annoying twitching can be those coming from the face and head,” says Anthony P. Geraci, MD, associate professor of neurology at Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine in New York.

Yes, we have muscles on our heads! Most commonly, one may experience twitching of the muscles of the eyelids or even above the ears – the temporalis muscles.”

What causes this twitching (fasciculation) above the ears?

Dr. Geraci explains, “Both of these muscles have smaller than normal fibers, and the nerves to these muscles have to traverse ‘wild terrain’ as they course from inside our heads to the muscles on the outer portion of our skulls.

“So, the nerves can get irritated, and then the muscle fiber’s membrane becomes unstable and twitches.”

What can be done to subdue twitching above the ears?

“Substances such as caffeine can cause twitches also, so if you drink a lot of java, consider cutting back.

“Otherwise, don’t let it worry you – I’ve never seen a patient with muscle twitches above the ears who had any medical problem to explain it!”

Dr. Geraci is also the director of neuromuscular medicine at Northwell Health in New York.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.